My Mentor
by Bliksem
Summary: A genetically engineered white Burraki Umbreon anthromorph, Kinpa yearns only to escape from his binds and be free. But his mentor, a devoted Guraena Mightyena anthro, refuses to let him escape. Will they be pitted against each other?
1. Failed Escape

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Pokemon was created by Satoshi Tajiri and is the legal property of Nintendo. All characters are copyright of the author. Please do not claim this story, or any of the chapters comprising it, as your own. Please feel free to email the author questions, comments, and/or criticisms or simply post a review.

"Kinpa! Kinpa, where are you!"

The sound of that voice stole my breath away, and I curled my knees closer to me. The wet air was bitterly cold, and even though my winter fur was somewhat thick, the wind bit right through it. With yellow eyes glistening, I peered out from my hiding spot underneath a jagged overhanging boulder, looking for the owner of the voice. What I saw, instead, were the first raindrops as they fell from the ragged sky. That very sky opened up in a massive deluge, drenching everything in a matter of seconds, and I shivered as its misty spray covered me in small cold droplets.

But despite all of that, I tried to smile. I tried to convince myself that the rain would cover my scent and eventually I could escape. The alternative was too unpleasant for me to even think about. But even now, I couldn't force my cheeks to tense and my lips to rise. My ears didn't even perk up. All I could feel was that parasitic fear running through my veins, stealing what little strength I had. It was as if some unseen thing was glaring at me, paralyzing my body. I tugged weakly at the collar that clamped around my neck. Was there no way to get it off?

A bright flash blinded me, and I immediately tensed and covered my ears. Sure enough, a massive rumble sounded, loud enough to cause the firm boulder above me to vibrate. I squeezed my eyes closed as I grabbed on to my ears. The rumble seemed to last for minutes before it finally settled down, and the steady pitter-patter of the raindrops filled my hearing again. My stomach tightened. Had I screamed during the thunder? I couldn't remember.

I looked around me. The small cove that I'd imbedded myself in glowed dimly in a blue light, and I sighed. My own light could give me away. I looked at myself and wished that, for once, I had human clothes. The rings that covered my body were glowing blue, and there was no way I could cover them all. I glanced outside to see the dark trees surrounding my hiding spot. Though my light was low, anyone could tell during this dark night. I could only hope that none were in a position to. I couldn't go back.

A sudden very close howl caused me to yelp, and I quickly covered my mouth. But the damage had already been done, and my stomach tightened again. Had I given myself away? I closed my eyes and tried to listen, but sound of rain flooded my senses. I couldn't smell or hear, and my eyesight was already weak for seeing distances. I began to think. Flee or stay? Which could I afford to do?

"Kinpa, I know you're nearby! Please come to me! I don't want to hurt you! Kinpa!"

The voice was too close. I couldn't afford to stay. I had to run. Breathing quickly, I steeled myself and crawled towards the very edge of the cove. The falling water was so cold that it felt painful, but I couldn't wait anymore. I took a deep breath and dashed forward.

I gasped at the sudden coldness that enveloped me as the rain sank into my fur. I felt so heavy as my paws ran along the cold wet ground. I could only imagine how my fur looked, dripping with water. But I tried not to let my mind wander as I ran, weaving through trees and ducking under branches. I tried to pull every trick instinct gave me. If only I could climb trees.

A loud howl signaled my pursuit, and I cringed as I felt something tug at me. I gradually ran slower, but I pushed myself forward. I couldn't afford to stop now. Not with freedom so close. Just a little bit more, and I could have the right to do what I wanted with my own life. Just a bit more.

I never saw the root before my paw snagged it, and yelping loudly I went into a tumble down a shallow hill. I should've been able to run, but I suddenly felt so exhausted and weak. My white fur was soiled with mud and leaves, and I nearly felt content to just lay there and watch the water flow through the small crevices in the ground. But I couldn't afford to rest now.

I tried to stand and could barely pick myself up, but even as I did, my hearing picked up the sound of another's breath. Without looking, I already knew who it was. "Please, Hanya… let me go…" I whined softly, tears gathering in the corners of my eyes only to mix with the falling rain.

"Kinpa, I cannot. My duty lies with them, and yours does too. You cannot continue to run. You will find no answers out there."

"Please, Hanya. Please let me go…"

"Kinpa, look at me."

I obeyed without question, but with much hesitation. I slowly turned, and it took a great deal of effort to raise my head. Before me stood someone who had experienced a great deal more than I could ever hope to. The humans called him a Guraena-Anthro, but to me he was simply Hanya. Even in the dark, I could make out his grey and black fur, and more importantly, his disappointed yellow and red eyes. I sighed and looked back down. "I… I don't wanna go back."

"I know, Kinpa."

"Please don't make me go back there."

"We must go."

"You don't like it either."

"I know."

"Then why?"

"I have a duty to fulfill."

"What about me?"

"I have a duty to you, too. You have a duty you must also fulfill."

I winced, trying my best to ignore the pounding rain. "I don't want that duty. I don't want to do it."

"You must, Kinpa." A heavy sigh floated over the sound of the rain.

"I… I'll fight you…."

"If you win, then my duty to you is finished, and I would have failed my own duty. I would give it my all."

"Please, Hanya… let me go…."

"I cannot."

My shoulders started to heave, and I felt myself sobbing. The tears that streamed from my eyes dripped like the rain, and I felt myself falling to my knees. I hated fighting, and there was no way I could ever break away. I knew that already. This entire thing was foolish. I only brought myself more pain. My vision started to fade, and the last thing I could sense was the falling rain and a gentle hand resting on my shoulder.

I felt warm arms embrace me as consciousness slowly returned. My eyes parted to see me lying on Hanya's chest. I could hear his slow and steady breath as well as the gentle thump of his heartbeat. Nothing but total warmth and security radiated from him, and I found my eyes closing again. I rested my head on his chest, my ears flicking out. I was safe as long as he was around.

"Kinpa…"

My eyes opened suddenly, and I looked up at the awakened Guraena. Cold spikes stabbed at my back and I shivered, but only slightly as I felt his strong hands rub the small of my back and cup my haunches. My tail wagged slightly. "I… I'm sorry, Hanya…" I said, my eyes glistening.

"Don't cry, Kinpa. You'll never grow stronger if you cry."

"But, Hanya…."

He shook his head. "No, don't say anything. I did not want to do what I did. I used my power against you, and I want to ask for your forgiveness. I understand what you wanted, what you were seeking. But I can tell you from experience that, because of what you are, all you will know is pain."

I laid my head on Hanya's chest, trying my best not to begin to sob. "I… I know, Hanya, but…."

"I'm sorry, Kinpa. I care for you too much to let you make the same mistakes I did. The outside world is not pristine. It is a cold cruel place that harms ones like us far more than this place. When I was young, I too thought that I could find the answers out there. But let me share my experience. The answers lie here, in doing what you were created to do."

"But, Hanya, I don't want—"

"Kinpa, no."

I fell silent and continued to rest. My body still felt weak from the pursuit that had been used against me. I could feel his hands rubbing my dry fur, and I sighed as I nuzzled against him. A thought wandered into my head. "Hanya?"

"Yes?"

"Why did they send you after me?"

"They thought it would be most effective, I assume."

"…Did you protest?"

"I was remorseful, but I did what was needed of me."

"Would you… have hurt me?"

"If you resisted, I would have had no choice."

"…Would… you have killed me?"

The Guraena fell silent and rested his hand on my head. He rubbed it briefly before licking my forehead. "Kinpa, why does it matter? You're not dead, and I did not have to do something that I could never forgive myself for. Why do you ask these questions?"

It was my turn to be silent, and for the longest time I wished that I could just lay there forever with him licking me. "I… because… I don't know. Because they're there, I guess…."

"You shouldn't ask questions if you know that the answer would make you even more miserable. Would you truly like the answer to the question? Would knowing the horrible truth make you feel better?"

"I…"

"Some things are better left unanswered. Because of that, I will not answer your question. I, myself, don't even know the answer to it. I would rather not know the answer, either."

I sighed and pulled myself against him. "Hanya?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry…"

"It's quite alright, Kinpa."

"I don't want to get hurt."

"It's inevitable, I'm afraid. I could not stop them even if they killed you."

I closed my eyes and winced. "I… I know… I'm sorry, Hanya."

"It's alright, Kinpa. I know what you're feeling. I will do all I can to protect you from harm, as long as you will do what you need to do. Even if that's nothing at all."

"Nothing at all?"

"We must all do things that we don't like, even if that's simply standing by and watching. I can only pray that, before my eventual demise, you will take my lessons to heart and let them lead you on and guide your life. Not everyone can be happy all the time, so we must take comfort in the little things."

"Am I a little thing?"

"You're my only thing."

"So, if—"

"Kinpa."

"Huh?"

"If you had a chance to obtain true happiness, and I was not ordered to stop it, I would gladly see you take the opportunity."

"But, you said…"

"True happiness exists, but not for us. Not for me, at least. I can only take responsibility for the happiness of others, and through them I achieve my own. If you were to get hurt, I could never forgive myself."

"Hanya…" I wrapped my arms around the Guraena and snuggled close to him. His heart was beating faster, almost as fast as mine. My tail wagged violently, and as I found myself falling asleep, in the corner of my eye, I thought I saw his wagging, too.


	2. Inspection

"You son of a bitch! How dare you run away before Giovanni arrives!"

The resulting blow of the human's hand against sent me sprawling towards the floor, and Hanya's words echoed loudly through my mind. I could barely stop myself from growling as I slowly sat myself up. The division in my mind was painfully apparent as I tried to keep from breaking down into a mass of tears as well as keeping my mouth shut. My hand went up to my cheek, which had already started to swell slightly.

But before I could pull myself up, the human who had hit me grabbed me roughly by the collar and yanked me to my paws. He, like all the humans I'd had the displeasure of running into, was an utterly detestable thing. His face was squat and ugly, with a haired nose and rotten breath. His eyes were beady and black, while his ears hung far too low. Even his skin was heavily pored, but luckily the rest of his oversized body was covered by the standard garb that all 'scientists', as they called themselves, wore.

He held me close, glaring into my eyes, and I couldn't help but fold my ears back. As much as I hated him, I feared him and the pain he could inflict even more. I couldn't stop myself from whimpering, even though I knew such an action would only spur him to be even crueler. He let go of my collar and hit me again, this time on one of my large ears. The pain was tremendous, and I tried my best to keep from barking in pain, but my eyes betrayed me as they started to water.

"If you weren't so damn expensive and important, I swear I'd have fed you to the Arbok!" he said with a look of satisfaction in his eyes. He drank in my fear, and while I shrank before him, he grew in his own mind. He hit me again, harder this time, and I couldn't catch myself before I hit the steel floor. I winced at the taste of blood in my mouth and only barely managed to contain myself.

I glanced passed the man to see Hanya staring at me. My heart sank slightly. His face was completely expressionless. Not even the slightest hint of anger was there, and I realized that there was no chance of him coming to my aid. The hatred that had been burning inside me vanished with that realization, and I felt empty. "I… I'm sorry…" I whimpered softly, looking down at the floor. My ears and tail sagged.

"The hell you're sorry! If you were sorry, you wouldn't have run away in the first place!"

He raised his hand to strike me again, but his associate, a slightly younger and fitter man, caught his hand. "No, you can't, sir. We received word that Giovanni, himself, will be coming to tour the facility shortly. I don't believe he'll be happy to see a distorted face."

"What! Giovanni's visit is today! But it wasn't scheduled until next week!"

"Yes, yes, I know sir, but apparently there was a conflict and he moved the inspection up to today. We were only notified a few minutes ago."

The man glared at me with intense rage. "This is your fault. If we hadn't have wasted all that time looking for you, we would have been more prepared!" His fist tightened, and for a moment, I thought he was going to strike me harder than he ever had before. But he didn't and instead turned towards Hanya. "You, GA-Zero-One." Hanya stood straighter. "Take him and get him cleaned up before Giovanni arrives."

Hanya bowed, and without a word, picked me up and shuffled me away. We walked wordlessly through the corridors, and I looked up at him. His face was frozen and completely unreadable, and he did not return my gaze. I looked back down and rubbed my sore cheek. The silence was uncomfortable, but I knew nothing that could ease the situation at all. "Hanya…" I started.

"Don't say anything, Kinpa."

I went silent again and looked down. Hanya had not even looked at me once, but yet his command was sharp. We took a turn down another corridor, and all I could hear was the sound of our steps against the metal grating. We entered into a room on the left; a simple washroom and one that I was rather familiar with. I sat upon a stool, but suddenly, I felt Hanya's arms wrap around me. "H-Hanya," I stammered.

"Kinpa, I'm so proud of you," Hanya said suddenly, and I felt him lick the back of my neck. A blush spread through my cheeks. "I knew you were angry, but I could not help you. If I had have shown any sign of anger, you would have probably attacked, and I would have been forced to either kill you or watch as they tortured you to death."

I looked down and felt his arms tighten around my body. He continued to lick the back of my head. "Hanya…" I said softly as he groomed me. "I… I'm going to be inspected, aren't I?"

The licking came to a halt, and the following silence spoke so loudly that I knew the answer before Hanya even began to speak. "Kinpa… You'll do fine. You're still very young, and your mastery over the language is wonderful. I'm certain that they can't ask for more than that."

I began to shiver, and my swollen cheek became painful. "Why're you lying to me?" I asked. My stomach quivered as it always did when I became upset. I pulled away from Hanya's arms and glared at him. But I could never say that I was angry with him. I hated where we were, but I could never hate him. I understood him, and I understood what he wanted of me. I just don't think I could ever do it.

Hanya sighed and reached for a nearby sponge. Standing to his full height, he reached towards one of the many faucets surrounding the room and wet the sponge. "Kinpa…" he said as he brought the sponge to my cheek. "I would never lie to you if I thought it would hurt you. I'm sorry. It was a slip of character."

"No, Hanya, I'm sorry… I shouldn't have asked the question that I know the answer too…"

"Kinpa…"

I tried my best to smile bravely for him. Though he was young by human standards, I could imagine how old he must feel. Five years was a long time to live, and I couldn't begin to think he survived such treatment. I thought of his wisdom and I realized that it was up to me to make sure what he learned carried through. "I'm gonna try my best, Hanya!" I said, smiling widely though I was certain that he could see the dread that filled me. "I'm gonna make you proud of me!"

He smiled and felt my cheek, stroking it gently. He leaned forward, and before I knew it, kissed me. Our muzzles interlocked for a moment before he pulled away, and I was left speechless, my rings shining a far brighter yellow than they ever had before. He smiled again and I could see his eyes shimmering. "I'm already proud, Kinpa."

The shock of Hanya's actions didn't leave me, and I found myself distracted in the middle of inspections. The flicker in my eye, unfortunately, didn't go unnoticed. A rough hand grabbed my chin and forced my gaze. In front of me stood the man known by the scientists as Giovanni, a man of such incomparable power that I could feel it radiating from his body. "Did I give you permission to look away?"

Should I speak? Should I not? The will that I had spent minutes building up had been shattered a while ago. I decided to speak. "N-No sir!" I said, my voice shaky and full of fear.

A hard slap from the back of Giovanni's hand sent me careening to the floor. He had a lot more power than the ones who had struck me before, and to him it was but a simple back-hand. I looked up from my spot on the floor, my eyes blazing with tears and burning with hatred. He glanced down at me, and I immediately averted my eyes. "Did I tell you to speak?"

I knew better now. I slowly climbed to my feet as silently as I could. But another strike sent me to the floor again. "Answer me when I ask you a question!" came the deep booming voice.

"Please stop hitting me!" I cried suddenly, and I heard the entire room go silent. Several scientists, other strange humans, and several others like me and Hanya focused their eyes on me, some in fear, some in amusement, and others in simple shock. My own mind went black for a moment, and I don't know what caused me to continue as I crawled to my paws. "Leave me alone!"

Giovanni's rough hand grabbed me by the neck. "Just who do you think you are? Do you think you're a human or something? That you have the right to simply speak as you please with no consequences?"

I could barely breathe as I grabbed hold of his wrist and tried to pry his hand away, but he was too strong. "N-No…" I whimpered, my eyes squeezed tightly.

In a show of amazing power, the man began to hoist me up in the air, and my heart started to race fast as I felt my paws leave the ground. I scratched desperately at his wrist, but still he held firm. At my full height, he was three heads taller than me and yet he raised me until my head was even with his. "Do you think you're a Pokemon? An animal?"

"N-No…" I forced an eye open and glanced into his cold face.

He brought me closer until our noses almost touched. "Do you think you're my equal?" His face broke into a grin full of such malice than I began to shiver. I shook my head as best I could. I was terrified of him, of his power, of his anger and his ability to hurt me. I hated him, but he terrified me more. He grinned more before tossing me as one absentmindedly tosses an empty can. I landed with a yelped and immediately began coughing as I tried to breathe again. "You're not a human. You're not a Pokemon. You are certainly not my equal. You're not necessary or important. You are not a part of this natural world. You don't have any rights. You exist solely for my desire. Your entire existence is fully dependent on my will. You live because I will you to live. You are merely a thing that I could dispose of in an instant."

"I'm not a thing…." My voice cracked as I picked myself. My eyes were blurry with tears, but I wiped them away with my forearm. "I have a name."

Giovanni grinned. "Really? And what would that be?" he said with a chuckle.

"Kinpa."

"And who gave you this name."

My face dropped. There was no way I would let Hanya take the blame for my actions. "I… I did."

"You faltered. Who gave you your name?"

"I did!" I yelled, my hands clinched. My eyes blazed at him, but yet he seemed completely unfazed.

"It was me, sir." I looked with horror as Hanya stepped forward and knelled. "Forgive me for my intrusion, sir. I did not know it was against the rules. I will accept any punishment that you or your servants see fit."

"In exchange for what?" Giovanni asked, his grin ever wicked.

"I ask nothing in return."

"You would do whatever it took to rectify the situation?"

"Yes sir."

"You would accept the punishment of death?"

"Yes sir."

"You would standby and watch its death?" Giovanni pointed towards me, and I glanced worriedly at Hanya.

"Yes sir," Hanya said, not looking up.

The man smiled and I grew more worried. "You would carry out the order yourself?"

If Hanya flinched, I didn't see it. My eyes grew wide and I stared at Giovanni with a mixture of revulsion and fear. "Yes sir."

Giovanni tilted his head slightly, surprised at the answer. "I see, then. You would be GA-Zero-One, then. You are said to be the most loyal of the creations from this project. I must say I'm impressed." He turned towards the scientists, whose breath had been held for far too long. "Shall we continue? I'm quite eager to see what else you have."

The scientist visibly relaxed and escorted Giovanni away, and the chamber gradually emptied until only Hanya and I were left. I fell to my knees and broke into a mass of tears, but the comfort I wanted, the sturdy arms, the warm fur… it never came. I sobbed in complete isolation until the chambers darkened, illuminated only by my blue glow.


End file.
